RB Marshawn Lynch was the Seahawks' leading rusher in 2013 but not their best quote. / Steven Bisig, USA TODAY Sports

by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

by Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports

The NFL fined Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch $50,000 after finding out this past week he hadn't spoken to the media all season.

"Until this past week, league had been unaware that Lynch had not been speaking," NFL spokesman Randall Liu told USA TODAY Sports in an e-mail.

Players are required to be available to reporters at least twice each week: after games and sometime leading up to the following game.

Fines are relatively rare, but Lynch isn't the first player to be docked a significant amount. Among others, then-Minnesota Vikings receiver Randy Moss was fined $25,000 for refusing to speak to reporters in 2010.